Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
GNU Binutils can read beyond allocated memory when processing a malicious XCOFF object file. An attacker must persuade a user or automated system to process the file. Successful triggering could expose sensitive process memory or crash the affected application; it does not provide direct code execution according to the supplied evidence.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted medium-priority remediation. Accelerate action for shared build services, file-analysis systems, or pipelines accepting external object files because memory disclosure may expose secrets. Systems without affected packages or without untrusted XCOFF processing have lower urgency, but the inventory decision should be documented.
Technical view
CVE-2026-3441 is a CWE-125 out-of-bounds read in the BFD linker, described as a heap-based buffer overflow. A crafted XCOFF object can cause high confidentiality impact and limited availability impact. CVSS 3.1 is 6.1: local access, low complexity, no privileges, and user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is highest where affected Binutils packages process untrusted XCOFF objects, including build, analysis, or ingestion workflows. The bundle identifies Red Hat Hardened Images binutils-main versions 2.45.1-5.1.hum1 and 2.46.1-1.hum1, plus RHEL 6 binutils, as affected. Listed RHEL 7 through 10 packages are generally marked unaffected.
Exploitation context
The supplied bundle does not establish active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. Exploitation requires an affected application to process a specially crafted local XCOFF file, normally involving user action or an automated workflow accepting attacker-controlled objects. No remote, unauthenticated network path is documented.
Researcher notes
The evidence describes a heap-based overflow manifesting as an out-of-bounds read in BFD. Impact is limited to confidentiality and availability in the supplied CVSS vector; integrity impact is none. Product status is Red Hat-specific, and the bundle does not provide comprehensive upstream affected-version boundaries, fixed-version details, root-cause code locations, or evidence of exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Binutils packages and compare them with Red Hat's affected-product statements.
- Review RHSA-2026:33527 and RHSA-2026:39022 for applicable vendor-provided updates.
- Restrict affected systems from processing untrusted XCOFF files until vendor guidance is applied.
- Isolate build or analysis workflows that must accept externally supplied object files.
Validation and detection
- Record installed Binutils package and container-image versions across relevant systems.
- Confirm whether build, upload, scanning, or analysis workflows accept XCOFF objects from untrusted sources.
- Verify listed RHEL 7 through 10 packages against Red Hat's unaffected classifications.
- After remediation, confirm deployed versions align with the applicable Red Hat advisory.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-125: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupContainer behavior lookup
The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-3441 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.1 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L1.84.2redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.1MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- RHSA-2026:33527CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2026:39022CVE reference, redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-3441CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2443826CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Out-of-bounds Read
Out-of-bounds Read represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.